MEET JASON

I came into UW with only academic expectations for myself — I never thought much about the location or the weather, or even about my social or spiritual development in the novel setting.

Coming into AAIV and the faith last year was honestly like that moment in lecture when you realize you don’t even know enough to comprehend how much you don’t know about the material... 

College had always been just a stepping stone for me on my way to a future career, but being in this community of unapologetically faithful Christians has taught me so much more about intentionality and purpose.

Cultivating friendships requires an intentional investment of time and effort. I asked myself, how can I expect to know God if I’m not willing to invest in the relationship? I feel like I learned more about Christianity in the past year than in all my pre-college years — having Christian friends around me and seeing others praying, singing, and proudly proclaiming their faith without hesitation completely changed my perception of Christianity.

Watching my mentors and role models in AAIV inspired me to incorporate these fundamentals into my daily life, but even now I’m still not exactly sure where I am in my faith. After all, how do my prayer and scripture readings apply to my relationships? My career? My end goal in life? I see God’s work in my own life, but I know I still need to do more than just thank God for the gifts I have received from Him.

In the last year and a half, this is probably the most important thing I’ve learned: Having faith is an ongoing process that never stops teaching us more about God’s glory, and I will dedicate myself to being an eternal student.

“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Matthew 7:14 ESV